Is the Surface 2 a Work Device?

Microsoft's marketing positioning of Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 is confusing and, I think, wrong-headed. According to the firm, the Windows RT-based Surface 2 is a tablet for business, whereas the Surface Pro 2 is a laptop replacement. I'm not sure that either of these descriptions makes any sense at all.

Collectively, Microsoft describes the new Surface devices as "the most productive tablets ever designed." But tied up in this neat description is a contradiction: Surface 2 makes the cut because it comes with a free version of Office 2013 Home & Student; indeed, it's the only version of that edition of Office that also includes Outlook 2013. But Surface Pro 2, which can run Windows desktop applications, doesn't come with Office. So they both offer productivity capabilities, yes. Just different productivity capabilities.

Surface 2: A Tablet for Business?

Microsoft says that Surface 2 has a place in business, but it's a narrowly defined place: "Surface 2 (the ARM version) is an amazing tablet for line of business scenarios and executives," the Surface team notes in a post to the Surface Blog. It "is proving popular as an LOB tablet because it delivers on the core hardware requirements of weight and battery life - and then many customers either custom build a modern LOB app or use one from our business ISVs like SAP. Windows RT 8.1 also brings important additions that complete the Surface 2 story including Outlook, Mobile Device Management, 3rd party VPN clients and workplace join."

Sorry, but this doesn't seem hugely compelling to me. And even if it were compelling, none of it is specific to Surface 2 or to Windows RT for that matter. It all works with Windows 8.1 as well.

And news that Delta is providing 11,000 Surface 2 tablets to its pilots—news that I broke last month in Windows IT Pro, by the way—doesn't really speak to usage that is applicable to many other businesses. The issue, as always with Windows RT-based solutions, is that no viable apps ecosystem has evolved. So Microsoft can only push web-based solutions and in-house LOB apps, and I'm not clear why anyone would make the latter.

This is a problem for consumers, too, of course, although there are some reasonable games and entertainment offerings, and the ability to run Windows Phone 8 games would solve most problems. But Surface 2 in business? This is a solution that enterprises would gladly adopt . . . if they were still calling the shots. But in this modern "Bring Your Own Device" world, employees are bringing iPads and Android tablets, not Surfaces. And that's not going to change.

Surface Pro 2: A Laptop Replacement?

Microsoft says that "Surface Pro 2 is a perfect, no-compromise laptop replacement." And, you know, it's a fine machine, well-built and nicely designed. But there is no such thing as "perfect" when it comes to a digital device. And Surface Pro 2 is absolutely full of compromises, unless you think that a tiny 10.6-inch screen with Full HD, 1080px resolution and just a single USB 3.0 port is somehow ideal for the typical power user/IT pro/enterprise worker.

Surface Pro 2 does of course offer some important improvements over its predecessor, and as the x86 variant in the Surface lineup, this machine is inherently more interesting at work. Microsoft cites its 75 percent additional battery life and dual-angle kickstand as being among the key improvements over the original Surface Pro 2, but it muddies the waters by also listing the Surface Pro Docking Station and car charger, both of which work with the first Surface Pro as well.

Really, the biggest strength of the Surface Pro 2 is that it's a PC . . . one that is saddled by that tiny, tiny screen. It's like interacting with a super computer through a postage stamp. The last time I checked, mainstream Ultrabooks offered 13-inch screens, and there's certainly nothing under 11 inches. So Surface 2 isn't a laptop replacement, it's a laptop wannabe. It's a PC tablet. Or, a tablet with PC guts running a PC operating system. That's good and bad. That's a compromise.

For some, of course, it's a fine compromise. And it's impossible to write something like this without knowing that I'll inevitably hear from those people who think the devices are just great, as-is. I get it, really. But one size doesn't fit all, and if Microsoft is serious about the devices part of "devices and services," then the company is going to have to extend its lineup significantly beyond two tablets with 10.6-inch screens.

I have an RT now and use it every day for work. As a consultant I am often at client sites gathering requirements and interacting with people or in meetings doing/getting project updates. So far, it has done all I needed it to do from both a professional and personal standpoint, save for a few things listed below.

With that said, I am looking to move to the Surface 2 Pro as a full replacement for my W520 ThinkPad. I do still need to everyone once in a while take that with me to a client site for presentations. I see the Surface 2 Pro eliminating that and allowing me to run the only two apps which I could run on the RT, Notepad ++ and Visio, and do presentations'. I don't have much need for Visio or Notepad++ on a daily basis, and the form factor does not suite itself well to doing large scale data models or coding, the dock changes that. To have a dock at work and a dock at home and just carry one device for everything work or personal is my holy grail and I will sacrifice a few things to get there. Even if I have a 13 inch screen, there is still not enough room there to do the things I would do when docked, even my 15 inch laptop is hard to go to when I have dual 24's when docked at work and home (plus the third screen for email and Lync).

I have preordered a Surface 2 for my wife who now is seeing the benefit of Win8 and having access to everything across different devices. Over the weekend I moved her to my old HTC 8X, and she has taken over my personal laptop running Win8. When she hit the Surface for the first time she was ecstatic to see everything follow her. She has her own business and will be more than happy with what the Surface 2 should offer.

We also have a 365 subscription, so not getting Office on the Pro isn't as big a deal for me, since I am only currently using 2 of the 5 seats.

For my line of work and usage as well as my wife's, these are looking to be very compelling and viable devices. While not perfect, or perfect for everyone, it's good enough and getting better all the time and I think will only continue to do so.

That is a very interesting perspective on the RT. The Pros are nice, but they're so expensive, despite the high quality. I am leaning ever so closer to getting a Surface RT tablet. Based on my usage, I think I could live just fine in the RT OS without needing desktop software.

Yes! But, I don't get Paul's comment "...in-house LOB apps, ... I'm not clear why anyone would make the latter." If companies are going to embrace Windows 8/RT, then they will develop LOB apps. That is what FoxNews has done. I am sure Delta is doing the same. That is what companies are doing with iPads. So, of course they are going to develop LOB apps. Enterprises don’t care what the number of games there are in an app store.

Paul, in your comments about Surface 2 I would suggest that perhaps you underestimate the proportion of the working populace that can do most, if not all, of their work using just Office and Outlook. I personally can do about 99% of my work with this software (plus a web browser). For people like me (and I imagine there are very, very many people like me), an ARM-based tablet with great battery life, that is thinner and lighter and half the price of a Surface Pro, WITH full versions of Office and Outlook is not just compelling, but "hugely compelling." There are few software programs like Office that are so massively successful and ubiquitous that they can be called a "business," much less a billion dollar business. With full Office and Outlook, moreover, I can overlook a lot of deficiencies on the app ecosystem side. Without them, I probably couldn't.

You statement that "It all works with Windows 8.1 as well," misses the point. Why pay double the price of a Surface 2 to get all that extra functionality (and extra weight) that you don't need, or even use?

I've been buying PCs for years. Why? Because I had to have Office and Outlook, whether it was for university, or later for work. My only choice was to buy a PC (or a Mac, I guess), and thus it didn't matter that I have all these years been swatting mosquitoes with a sledgehammer. Now, with Surface 2, the PC industry has finally given me a motorcycle, instead of forcing me to buy a pickup just to get around.

I still have a PC. Quite a beast in terms of processing power, in fact. I "need" it to play power-hungry, graphically demanding games. Were it not for my love of PC games, with just a Surface 2 I probably wouldn't even need a home desktop PC anymore.

Paul, I agree with you with your thoughts on Surface 2. It isn't a work tablet...not for most people. They should call it a tablet for play that does some work. Some people (a small amount) would probably do well with a Surface 2, but most people wouldn't.

I somewhat agree with you on the Surface Pro 2. Microsoft should make an Ultrabook 13-15 inch that maybe also the screen pops out. They should make a hinge though for it. This would make it a true laptop alternative. For some businesses like doctors to use them to look at charts, xrays and other scans would be fine. For a CPA who uses Quickbooks and/or Excel, not so much. The good thing is the docking station. A business person gets to his/her office and plugs it in, then he/she has a full computer that they can do their work on. It would be good for presentations (wirelessly hooking it up to a projector), viewing documents and light writing/editing, and many other things.

The 8 inch tablet will be even more of a consumption device. I'd say Surface 2 is about 95% consumption, and the Surface Mini will be about 98% consumption.

You would think HP or Dell would come up with a 13 inch or higher Windows 8 hybrid. For some, the screen would be to big and yes to bring to the beach or to use like a typical tablet it would, but in many ways it could work. I think Microsoft just has to play around with different sizes and maybe see some growth as well. Maybe the Surface Pro 3 will come in more sizes. Who knows.

I'd say the Surface 2 is less than 95% consumption, simply because of Office. I used it to build ppt presentations for a class I was teaching and it works exactly like the desktop version.

One of the things that I think will make the Surface Pro 2 a great laptop alternative is the new Office reader app that's rumored in the Gemini update. Commenting was supposed to solve the issue of printing out drafts for commenting and annotations and did help a little bit, but the ability to use a pen to make edits without printing out a document is awesome.

"Really, the biggest strength of the Surface Pro 2 is that it's a PC" --I've never tried the surface but I think I can see it's main sell and it's not *just* being a PC.

In my job I alternate between three tools:
- My laptop for programming and general office work.
- My desktop + graphics tablet for design work and anything that needs a bit more horse power.
- Pen and paper for meetings, note taking, and diagrams.

In my mind, if you could design one device that gave you the benefits of these things, it would be a big win. I can't justify spending the insane prices of the new Surface Pros but I like where the idea and this style of device is going.

It's really easy Paul; some people have tried and like the tablet form factor. Some of us however are underwhelmed with Android and Apple solutions and want more. We want something that is ultra-portable but has the power when we need it. I'll continue to do most of my work on a desktop but when I need to travel or do light stuff around the house I'll have my tablet form factor that can handle "anything" I may throw at it.

I'm paying extra for being an early adapter but in 12-24 months Windows 8 tablets will have the power and be dirt-cheap. When (not if) the price drops who will want a low-end solution like Android or Apple when they can have it all?

Making the Surface viable for business is getting close but not there yet. Once the full Office Gemini suite is available, I think I'll be ready to dive in. As a System Architect, I need Outlook, Vizio, Word and Excel in a Modern UI. I do use Visual Studio now and then but have moved development off to an Azure VM. The only other nice to have would be the ability to reach intranet sites so need to be able to join my work domain.

Actually your article is Surface Pro needs a keyboard. Absolutely. If you are going to buy an Ultrabook class device, you are going to spend time on the desktop, and that never was, and is not now, touch friendly. No it's not, regardless if the marginally larger ribbon buttons and greater spacing in Office.

If you buy a Surface with RT though, you can easily get by without a keyboard. The MUI apps a designed that way, clearly. I hardly ever swing out the keyboard on my RT, and then it is more for the touchpad than the alphabet. There are lots of web sites that depend on a mouse hovering over a menu which is tough on a touch screen. I'm one that looks forward to the desktop on Surface 2/Surface RT going away, and the iOS/Android version of Office being ported to Windows ;)

Regarding hover on websites: IE11 on Windows 8.1 changes the behaviour of touch-and-hold. In IE10/Windows 8, touch-and-hold brings up a context menu. In IE11, touch-and-hold also fires the 'hover' events - which means that hover menus can be activated with touch-and-hold.

In case you did want to use anything from the context menu, the contextual commands are moved to an app bar at the bottom of the screen.

Consider and organisation which has a MS based infrastructure. Exchange, Office, SharePoint, Lync and Apps pushed out through Remote Desktop Services. Surface (or Windows RT tablets generally) make perfect sense. My users want tablets, primarily because they're lightweight. They ask for iPad because they've heard of them and think they can do anything on them.

We have 10 or so iPads in service now and I've lost count of the number of times users have complained because they can't open a room calendar or can't do something on our SharePoint based intranet. Those with iPads still have to carry around a laptop because they can't get any work done on them.

Surface is a solution to this, I have a Surface RT and a Surface Pro and for me the Surface Pro is ideal. Surface RT is so slow I couldn't recommend it to my users. Surface 2 may be different.

Lightweight, 10 hour battery life and runs all our applications? Absolutely this is a work device.

Explain to me how some of the same people who are suggesting that businesses give their employees iPads and Chromebooks say that a Surface has no place for those same uses? Office is not the only way to use a device for work.

Very paradoxical to claim in the same article that neither the size nor features of Surface or Surface Pro make them suitable work devices while noting at the same time that iPads and Android tablets are popular BYOD devices for work even though they don't have large screens or lots of real "productivity" apps or even a single USB 3.0 connection for the most part. I'm sure that if 10-inch iOS and Android devices can be useful work devices then the Surface and Surface Pro devices can be, too, whether they run ARM or Intel. As another poster says, it's all about apps, apps, apps (and Surface has a long ways to go there to come up to par with iOS and Android). A lot of 10-inch iPads have been bought instead of 13-inch and up ultrabooks. Dockability came into being for those that found their laptops too limiting so there's no reason it shouldn't work just as well for Surface. It's ridiculous to write, too, that Surface Pro doesn't have enough ports. Yeah, put a lot more USB 3.0 ports, an ExpressCard slot, the better to argue that the iPad weighs less than 1.5 lbs but the new Surface Pro 3 is now up to 2.5 lbs.

Either Office on a tablet doesn't matter or Surface 2 is a work device. They can't both be true. Also, the impact of BYOD is grossly exaggerated. Smartphones and tablets are different. With smartphones, orgs can use something like Good and sandbox access to corporate email, but with tablets, more than just email access is required.

I also think it's better for Microsoft to compete in terms of quality (like Apple) than in terms of price (like Amazon, as Paul suggests). How exactly did competing with Linux on netbooks help Microsoft in any way, Paul?

IMHO, what is missing from Surface to make it a great travel device, is a large (13-15") USB monitor. I have an AOC one and it is very useful, BUT, it is too thick and too low res. It is 1366x768, 13". It is actually pretty light, and only requires plugging into the USB port for power and video. Don't know why someone can't make a thin 13-15" screen, with Surface Pro 2 resolution, and maybe a USB hub in it. That could stay in the backpack/messenger when traveling, and get set up at the hotel for serious work, while allowing the Surface to excel at mobile activities, airplane seats, coffee shops, commuter trains. For all I care, this thing could be driven from the display port and be rechargeable or powered from the Surface power supply, but keep it thin, light, and higher res, bigger screen.

A main feature about a tablet form factor is weight and the surface 2 like its predecessor is just too heavy compared to an iPad which is the current business tablet of choice. The docking station is a great step forward but the surface has too much ground to catch up on to be relevant. The Surface 2 will get completely ignored like the previous model was but hopefully M$ doesn't have to write off another $900million for excess inventory (again).

I have both the RT and Pro. My wife uses the RT. Believe it or not, only recently she found out that using it without the keyboard is pretty amazing. Now the keyboard gathers dust in a drawer somewhere. As a software developer myself, I see more and more devs developing for the Win8/RT platform. Once that starts to happen, the RT will become the bargain work device that will take off like a rocket. Don't take this Delta deal too lightly. Many businesses are watching this development closely and will jump in if the concept proves its value. If it is good enough for the airline industry, it definately will be good enough for the truckers, shippers like FedEx, and other businesses with a huge force on the road. I think Microsoft has a winner in the Surface 2. Paul might not see it yet, but he will come around once the numbers speak for itself. Microsoft was smart to take a one time $900M charge, because it knew that it would bolten other OEMS to not develop for the RT, and keep it as a fullyMicrosoft-only profit center with no competition in that space. They knew they had the deal already with Delta, but waited a while to make it known to the naysayers.. Smart Microsoft.... very smart!!!

I use a laptop and Surface RT for work. When I am at my desk, I use the laptop plugged into a docking station with 2 monitors. When I go to meetings I take my Surface RT. Having Office suite and Outlook on the RT makes it really great when I need to be mobile. I use Skydrive or Outlook to sync or transfer files between my laptop and the Surface. Having got used to the convenience of the much lighter Surface RT, I now find the laptop too heavy to lug around. I do think that the Surface RT or 2 will work of many people in business.

surface is a heck of a lot better for business than the ipad, so I don't see any confusion. just office alone IS enough as the windowing system and support for mouse and keyboard are lightyears ahead of ios which remains cute for email but fails at the rest.

ios is a consumer os. period. and while you may disagree about rt being as good as win 8, the ipad game collection doesn't do a thing for businesses. that is why fox news didn't put ios on their news center: baby, enterprise is widows all the way.

after reading most of the comments here, the main question in my mind is licensing. i thought of that as reading about windows rt - surface tablet or other "RT" tablet. i am in an EA and a pro version of windows is required so the RT is "useless" in the enviroment. also, regarding the screen size of ANY tablet - they are small. that is why they are tablets. i have been waiting for the very portable tablet to come in prod along with a the docking station that provides more RAM and CPU for that desktop feel while at the office. when on the road, the lower RAM and CPU are not as much of a need as email, web, and probably power point. just my 2 cents.

I'm sorry, but if you are working in any enterprise IT field and you aren't looking at BYOD, MDM, and virtualization, you are already well behind the curve. The whole concept of an EA is to deal with disruptive forces, and BYOD is both disruptive, and beneficial for cost savings and simplification of management. If your app and/or desktop virtualization platform can't be secured enough for BYOD, then you need to go back to Security 101, because it's not the fault of BYOD.

"Really, the biggest strength of the Surface Pro 2 is that it's a PC . . . one that is saddled by that tiny, tiny screen. It's like interacting with a super computer through a postage stamp."

Totally disagree with this. It's a PC in a tablet form-factor. Of course its a smaller screen! If they had a Surface that was 13+" people would complain that its too big or technically not a tablet. You can't have it both ways. They put laptop capabilities in a tablet. If you need a bigger screen, use the docking station (same goes for the 13" ultrabooks).

I understand that the first edition Surface tablets haven’t done well. They did horrible in fact. However, I feel that your analysis is harsh. Let me give you another perspective.

First of all, the Surface Tablets are “Files” oriented just like a computer is. If you can copy them, move them around, transfer them on a disk or call them from a network, the Surfaces are the best tablets in the world. But a file can be a very abstract thing for the computer illiterates. My wife does not open a “file” in her mind when she clicks on one of her iPad app. For her, the files are directly associated with the App and that’s it. So she ends up with pictures, videos, saved games and notes. That’s it. Nothing to fancy. At work, files are what you need because you need to copy them, back them up, send them by email, and store them on Skydrive. Skydrive alone is too complicated for many tablets users and it’s a key now standard feature of Windows 8.1. So for me, a Surface is a work tool.

Secondly, the surface tablets are designed to interact with other software and hardware. The USB connecter, the External display connector and the SD Card adapter are there to prove it. It was also designed to work with standard windows networks. They are both full featured PCs on that mater and it counts. So for me again, a Surface is a work tool.

Thirdly, the surface can run more than “Apps”. Don’t get me wrong. I think some of them are cool or fun or even useful but the fact remains, Full featured application are desktop applications or Suite. On the Surface 2 Office 2 is still there. Good! On the Pro, you can install any Windows application. I own an RT and when I do need a desktop application (SQL Management Studio, Visual Studio, Dreamweaver, and Photoshop), I have another PC at work that is always running and that I access using remote desktop. I have been using my Surface RT since I got it last year. I use it when I visit my clients, when I teach, when I am at a hotel, when I am at a meeting. So for me… A Surface is definitely a work tool

I can see how Surface 2 RT can be used for specific business needs. The last I checked most corporations have internal dev teams that can create LOB apps to interact with their data and provide a direct set of tools for specific tasks. Will Surface ever be a replacement for a Desktop, Laptop or Ultrabook no but neither is Android or IPADs. They all come with compromises and 3rd party app store titles won't cut it when it comes to most security requirements. I'm sure a fortune 500 company would love to hear that one of their Out-Source Vendors is using an app from Google Play to interact and manipulate their data. Even with BYOD contracts and corporate security still reign supreme!

So it would seem to me that $999 isn't bad for a small screened device, with an i5, 4G RAM and 128G SSD. Yea I gotta buy a keyboard. Maybe you don't want to pay that much, and you don't have to, but you won't neccesarily get that much either.

I have two Surface PRO's and use one of them with a Thinkpad DisplayLink Dock ( to power two external monitors, ScanSnap Scanner, and have internet and network printing.
•5x USB 3.0 – 1 provides always-on mobile device charging
•1x DVI-D (Graphics)
•1x DVI-I (Graphics)
•1x Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000)
•1x Stereo/Mic Combo Port
I have a Surface 2 RT on pre-order and if I need to run any apps that don't work on the RT, I can use remote desktop to a workstation to run then.

I still don't understand why Microsoft disallows creation of desktop RT apps. They ought to give developers the opportunity to port their applications over without having to rethink the user experience that already made them successful. It would both justify the existence of the desktop and eventually allow RT to function in a desktop capacity. Not to mention the positive effect it would have on developer loyalty.

It's not like their API's are substantially incomplete. They ported Office and many other things to it, after all.